Hartford woman who claims she graduated without being able to read seeks $3 million settlement

HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) - A woman who claimed she was allowed to graduate from a high school in Hartford without being able to read or write is seeking a settlement.

The law firm of Barry, Taylor & Levesque, LLC said it filed a formal offer to settle the lawsuit on behalf of Aleysha Ortiz.

Ortiz sued the Hartford Board of Education, the City of Hartford, and two special education staff members at Hartford Public High School.

The firm said the proposed settlement was $3 million.

It said that the case, which drew significant media attention in recent months, outlined the systemic failures by Hartford Public High School that led to Ortiz graduating without the ability to read or write.

“The lawsuit alleges that these failures not only violated educational policies but also disregarded state mandates for reporting bullying, harassment, and suspected abuse,” the firm said in a news release.

The letter to settle was filed on Tuesday.

The firm said the settlement offer addresses three legal counts, including negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress. The complaint described in detail the emotional and psychological harm Ortiz allegedly suffered due to years of mistreatment, intimidation, and educational neglect.

Among the most serious allegations, according to the law firm, were claims that special education case manager Tilda Santiago repeatedly engaged in controlling, verbally abusive, and stalking behavior toward Ortiz, conduct that occurred inside the school during regular hours. The suit stated that Santiago used intimidation tactics to interfere with Ortiz’s efforts to secure special education services to which she was legally entitled.

Case manager Norma Reyes was also accused of contributing to the emotional harm suffered by Ortiz through similar actions, the attorneys said.

The complaint claimed that the abuse was directly linked to Ortiz’s self-advocacy, her repeated efforts to obtain help learning to read and write and pursue a college education.

Channel 3 is reaching out to Hartford Public Schools and the City of Hartford for comment.